Regular Season Complete as No. 1 Tampa Splits Twinbill at Lynn

BOCA RATON, Fla. – The #1 University of Tampa Spartans played their regular season finale, splitting a pair of games at Sunshine State Conference opponent Lynn University.

Game One Final: No. 1 Tampa Spartans 7, Lynn Fighting Knights 0

Game Two Final: Lynn Fighting Knights 3, No. 1 Tampa Spartans 1

Records: Tampa (43-7, 24-6 SSC), Lynn (23-27, 9-21 SSC)

Location: Lynn Baseball Field | Boca Raton, Fla. 

All-Time Series: Taking two of three in the series, Lynn closes the all-time record between the teams to 86-27 in favor of Tampa. Prior to the series, UT was winners of 10 straight over the Fighting Knights.

GAME ONE

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Tampa got on the board first as E.J. Cumbo scored on a Stephen Klein groundout. 1-0 Tampa | Top 1
• The Spartans plated another run on an RBI groundout by Santiago Garavito. Klein would score the game's second run. 2-0 Tampa | Top 4
• Cumbo drove home Jake Griffith on a single. 3-0 Tampa | Top 5
• Cumbo would drive in another run on a single to score Maddox King. 4-0 Tampa | Top 7
• The Spartans cross two on RBI singles by Anthony Nunez and Klein. 6-0 Tampa | Top 8
• UT added another run as Macallister Jorgensen hit a sacrifice fly to cross Mike Valdez. 7-0 Tampa | Top 9

AT THE PLATE:

• Cumbo: 2-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 SB
• Klein: 2-5, 1 R, 2 RBI
• Griffith: 2-4, 2 R
• King: 1-4, 2 R
• Valdez: 1-1, 1 R, 1 2B

ON THE MOUND:

• Alex Canney made the start and earned to win to improve to 11-2 on the season. He threw 4.0 predetermined innings to qualify for the win, allowing just four hits while striking out four and walking one.
• Eli Thurmond tossed 2.0 scoreless innings of relief, allowing just one hit while striking out three with no walks.
• J.P. Gates threw 2.0 innings, yielding just two hits with a pair of strikeouts.
• Nunez would finish the game with a scoreless ninth inning with a strikeout.

GAME TWO

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• UT broke a scoreless tie as Klein singled home Cumbo in the third inning for the lone Spartans run of the game. 1-0 Tampa | Top 3
• The Fighting Knights grabbed their first lead of the day with a pair of runs, scoring on a single and sacrifice fly. 2-1 Lynn | Bottom 7
• Lynn added an insurance run in its next trip to the plate on an RBI single. 3-1 Lynn | Bottom 8

AT THE PLATE:

• Klein: 2-4 1 RBI
• Valdez: 2-3
• Cumbo: 1-4, 1 R, 1 2B
• King: 1-3, 1 2B

ON THE MOUND:

• Ace Skylar Gonzalez started on a pitch count, throwing 5.0 perfect innings. He would strike out three Fighting Knights in the no decision.
• Jake Stipp dropped to 5-1 as he entered and pitched the final 3.0 innings. The southpaw allowed six hits and three earned runs while finishing with one strikeout.

UP NEXT: Tampa awaits word on the NCAA South Regional. As the current No. 1 team in the South Region, the Spartans expect to be at home for the opening round. The 2024 NCAA DII baseball championship kicks off with a selection show on Sunday, May 12 at 10:30 p.m. ET streamed live on NCAA.com. Regional competition will begin May 16 and championship bracket games will take place June 1-8 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina.